Rumblings for Change in Britain

While French President Sarkozy currently appears prepared to break with his country’s tradition of strict separation of Church and State (Sarkozy Breaks French Taboo on Church and Politics Christian Today, Dec. 23, 2007), for some time now, the British have apparently been thinking of divorcing Church from State. In 2003, a commission set up by the Fabian Society with the full co-operation of Buckingham Palace recommended that the British monarch be stripped of her title as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.  As reported in Call for Queen to Lose Title as Head of Church, the commission’s report argued that the monarch should be a head of state not committed to any particular religion.  One source close to the commission explained the recommendation thus: “We want to make the argument that the monarchy needs to be seen as a modern institution there for all of the people of Britain, whether they are Christians or non-Christians.  It is no longer appropriate for the monarch to be so closely allied with one religion.”

The commission’s recommendation is yet to be implemented.  Should it be, it would be one of the most radical changes in British Church-State relations since Henry VIII became head of the Church of England in 1534.

VEJ